The Future of DRM

Filed in archive Commentary , DRM on March 20, 2007

A DRM developer wrote to me concerned about Apple CEO Steve Jobs' anti-DRM support, and the role and future of DRM. My response has been broken into a few digestible parts of the next few days.
> Part 1 - Where It Fits
> Part 2 - Who's in Control
> Part 3 - The Future of DRM

PART 3 - THE FUTURE OF DRM

Where is it best to use DRM? That will be dictated by the specific market, buyer demand, application, technology, business rules, and business model, virtually all out of a DRM provider's control. Some observations about where DRM will work better:
> Where there is no analog hole. Music can be ripped from CDs. Internet-enabled software can't.
> Where piracy is less of a threat. Such as business-consumed media, higher-size files like HD video (for the time being), specialty media (that isn't regularly shared), high-end content (where strong DRM already exists).
> Where there is DRM interoperability. Apple of course is the exception to all rules.
> Where there is business rule and model flexibility. If content providers must adapt, so too must your DRM.
> Where it's a customer benefit and not a liability. For example, serving the best version in the right format for the right device.